Program monitoring device



Nov; 16, 1965 E. s. CHAVEZ PROGRAM MONITORING DEVICE Filed Nov. 5, 1962 IN VENTOR m 0 F fl I /u/ I I l I l l l l I ul h l A! I I I I I l I I l l I I l l I l I l x w m M I1 7 7 w 9 United States Patent 3,217,486 PROGRAM MONITORING DEVICE Ethor S. Chavez, 19737 Kittriclge St., Canoga Park, Calif. Filed Nov. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 235,431 3 Claims. (Cl. 58-4) This invention pertains to the monitoring of program schedules, such as those of radio or television, and any such array of scheduled occurrences.

Present methods consist largely of searching for pertinent literature, searching through it, and then relying on mental faculties for the forming of an array of programs in relation to time, the retention and accuracy of which being faulty in most persons. In the case of television program monitoring, there often exists the added inconvenience of searching the literature in subdued light or of the viewing being disturbed by the introduction of added light.

The object of this invention is to attain a visual display of a selected group of program schedules in a panoramic array which continuously passes a viewing area: at once clearly showing what programs are in effect at present, how much time each has yet to run, what programs follow, and what programs have just terminated. It is also an object of this invention to synchronize this display with a display of the time of day, day of the week, and week of the year.

I attain this object by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional plan view.

FIGURE 2 is a front view with broken sections illus trating interior details.

FIGURE 3 is a side view with a broken section illustrating interior details.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

4 is a synchronous electric motor with a speed reduction gear-train, the output shaft of which is centrally attached to sprocket 5. Motor and gear-train 4 are supported by an extension of the curved sheet which forms reflector 6, where it is bonded with an adhesive such as epoxy. The large concave surface of reflector 6 has a reflective finish with respect to light impinging on it from electric lamp 7. Motor and gear-train 4 as well as lamp 7 are energized through electric wires 8. Program film 9 is rolled cumulatively on supply spool 10 and is routed to takeup spool 11 where its leading end is wound. Film 9 is positioned along its route by convex guiding surfaces formed by extensions of the curved sheet which forms reflector 6, the convex surface of window 12, and the teeth of sprocket which engages film 9 along its timing perforations 13. Spools and 11 are rotatably mounted on fixed parallel axles 14. They are structurally identical, and differ from common photographic film spools in the addition of a small sheave on one end, and a larger sheave on the other. Supply spool 10 is installed with its large sheave adjacent to the small one of takeup spool 11, these sheaves being connected by a slipping belt drive 15. The small sheave of spool 10 is engaged by friction knob 16, which is made of an elastomer material. This knob being readily removable in the manner of a rubber nipple on a nursing bottle. Base frame 17 affords a foundation for the mechanism, directly affording a footing for lamp socket 18, reflector 6, and axles 14.

Housing 19 encloses the entire mechanism except for the bottom surface of base frame 17 and friction knob 16. It is fastened to the base by magnetic latches 20. Window 12 is an integral part of housing 19, and affords a transparent area to an otherwise unbroken contour. Window 12 is formed by masking the clear plastic surfaces of housing 19 with an opaque material such as adhesive 3,217,486 Patented Nov. 16, 1965 metal foil. A scribed hairline 21 traverses the face of window 12 at right angles to film 9 which bears snugly against it. Film 9 is made of a translucent and pliable material such as vellum, and is marked along its length with information which may be read through window 12.

When motor and gear-train 4 is energized by means of wires 8, it produces a rotation of sprocket 5 as indicated by directional arrow 22, and causes film 9 to advance in a continuous manner past window 12, as it depletes the film on supply spool 10. Takeup spool 11 is caused to rotate by the transmission of torque from supply spool 10 by means of slipping belt 15, and thus rolls up film 9 after it has passed sprocket 5. Film 9 is kept taut throughout its transportationby means of the slipping friction torque imparted to takeup spool 11s small sheave by slipping belt 15 which is overdriven by the large sheave of supply spool 10. Thus film 9 is held snugly against window 12 as it is advanced by motor and gear-train 4, and backlighted by lamp 7 and reflector 6.

Except for portions at the beginning and ending of program film 9, it is marked off in bands 23 along its entire length. One of these bands 24, is marked off in hours of the day, days of the week, and weeks of the year. These time markings are metered in a manner corresponding to the rate of advance of program film 9, and performs the function of a clock when set and viewed in conjunction with hairline 21, which symbolizes the present.

Bands 23 are marked off along their length by break lines 25 designating the endings of some programs and the beginnings of others. Thus a marked off interval along a band 23, when viewed in conjunction with hairline 21 and band 24, which functions as a clock, conveys to the reader in a graphical way, the span of time between the present and any such marked off interval, as well as the time interrelationships between all of these marked ofi? intervals. A plurality of program schedules are monitored simultaneously by assigning the representation of a different schedule to each band 23 and marked otf intervals along these bands for the representation of the duration and sequencing of programs. Titling the designated program intervals suflices to identify the programs being monitored, and the supplemental marking of the program intervals identifying the broadcasting source or place of presentation serves to complete the information required by the reader.

I claim:

1. In a program monitoring device, the combination of: an elongated uniform film, guiding means giving the film one degree of freedom, a hairline indicator fixed to said guiding means and stretching across a film viewing area and the path of the film, for the coordinated reading of indicia marked upon the film, said film markings consisting of a band along its length with a sequence of metered time-of-day notation, and having marked-off spaces or areas along the film, said spaces or areas having identification markings of particular programs to be monitored, and having their length parallel to the time of day band, and proportionately sized according to the programs duration, forming an analog of the programs location in time, having a supply spool and a takeup spool adapted to hold the unexposed and exposed portions of the film, and having motor means for advancing the film past the viewing area in accordance with the films time-of-day band, said spools having mutual friction coupling means adapted to keep the film taut across the viewing area, and having a base frame adapted to the support of the device.

2. In a program monitoring device, the configuration under claim 1, having a curved window over the viewing area, said window having the hairline affixed or scribed upon it, and having its convex side bearing on the film,

3 4 displacing it laterally, eliminating parallax between film 2,109,535 3/1938 Jones 40-32 indicia and the hairline. 2,527,776 10/ 1950 Taalfe 23571 3. In a program monitoring device, the configuration 2,714,492 8/1955 Stock W 24255 under claim 2, adapted to advance the film horizontally,

accommodating the reading of indicia normally read from 5 FOREIGN PATENTS left to ri ht 75,464 1/1918 Switzerland.

References Cited by the Examiner LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner- UNITED STATES PATENTS JOSEPH P. STRIZAK, Examiner.

1,986,326 1/1935 Davidson et a1 40-32 

1. IN A PROGRAM MONITORING DEVICE, THE COMBINATION OF: AN ELONGATED UNIFORM FILM, GUIDING MEANS GIVING THE FILM ONE DEGREE OF FREEDOM, A HAIRLINE INDICATOR FIXED TO SAID GUIDING MEANS AND STRETCHING ACROSS A FILM VIEWING AREA AND THE PATH OF THE FILM, FOR THE COORDINATED READING OF INDICIA MARKED UPON THE FILM, SAID FILM MARKINGS CONSISTING OF A BAND ALONG ITS LENGTH WITH A SEQUENCE OF METERED TIME-OF-DAY NOTATION, AND HAVING MARKED-OFF SPACES OR AREAS ALONG THE FILM, SAID SPACES OR AREAS HAVING IDENTIFICATION MARKINGS OF PARTICULAR PROGRAMS TO BE MONITORED, AND HAVING THEIR LENGTH PARALLEL TO THE TIME OF DAY BAND, AND PROPORTIONATELY SIZED ACCORDING TO THE PORGRAM''S DURATION, FORMING AN ANALOG OF THE PROGRAM''S LOCATION IN TIME, HAVING A SUPPLY SPOOL AND A TAKEUP SPOOL ADAPTED TO HOLD THE UNEXPOSED AND EXPOSED PORTIONS OF THE FILM, AND HAVING MOTOR MEANS FOR ADVANCING THE FILM PAST THE VIEWING AREA IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FILM''S TIME-OF-DAY BAND, SAID SPOOLS HAVING MUTUAL FRICTION COUPLING MEANS ADAPTED TO KEEP THE FILM TAUT ACROSS THE VIEWING AREA, AND HAVING A BASE FRAME ADAPTED TO THE SUPPORT OF THE DEVICE. 